The Edge
by tayraystar
Summary: Wally just won't wake up. The blast was too much for him. Artemis is determined for him to live, and Robin can only watch as everything falls apart. One-shot. Spitfire.


"Wake up."

The distant clap of thunder, the groan of metal, the crackling of a fire.

"Wake _up_! Please!"

Wally could hear her voice, but he couldn't respond. He couldn't open his eyes, couldn't smile up at her, couldn't tell her that everything was going to be okay. And he so desperately wanted to tell her everything was okay.

"Come_ on_! Wally, _wake up_!"

Wally could feel the soft cushiony darkness wrapping it's hands around his mind, pulling him down into an endless black sea, Artemis' voice getting even more distant the further he went down. He felt an overwhelming sense of calm. Everything was going to be okay, Artemis just didn't seem to know it yet.

Another voice joined Artemis's frantic one, but they were all fading in and out, it was hard to distinguish between them. He thought he felt a sharp pain on his cheek, but it could have been on his back, or even his leg. Everything was a blur of emotion and sound and pain and silence and peace and it was overwhelming. He just had to let go, and it would all melt into nothing. But he was holding on with an iron grip. No matter how good it felt, he didn't want to go, he didn't want to float away into the darkness. He wanted to stay. To sit up and smile and say something that would make someone laugh, someone groan, someone roll their eyes.

Wally could hear his heartbeat loud and clear. It was a constant sound that he had known all his life, but it had never been as loud as it was now, and it was never this laboured. It was always a constant rhythm, faster than a normal person, but now it was a slow thumping that he could hear with aching clarity. He'd taken for granted how vital his heart was to his survival, but now that it was slowing down it's beats, he was suddenly aware of how important it was to keep it going.

His thoughts were slowing. His breathing was becoming shallow. He could see a pinprick of light in the overwhelming darkness, calling out to him. Just let go, Wally, it will be okay…

He felt a sudden stab of panic. No! He couldn't let go! He couldn't give in to the peace! It wasn't real!

And as he felt a pounding on his chest and something warm on his lips, he began to fight to keep himself awake. He began to fight for his life.

"It's not working!"

"Artemis, calm down! It's going to be okay! He'll make it!"

"Then why isn't it working?!" Artemis shouted, barely able to get the words out of her clenched teeth as she pressed down on Wally's chest in an erratic rhythm, not bothering to count, and throwing herself down to breath into his mouth. He needs to start breathing again. I can't feel him breathing!

"Artemis!" Robin places a hand on her shoulder, but she shoves it off violently, her eyes not leaving Wally's slack face as she pulls back, starting to pump down on his chest again.

The noise around them is deafening; the creaks and groans of the wrecked house just behind them seemed to be getting louder, and the crackling and spitting of the large flames behind them was hot on her back and loud in her ears. Sweat was dripping down her exposed forehead, her mask gathered around her neck after she'd pulled at it as if it was trying to kill her, pulling it off her face as she'd collapsed beside Wally's still figure. She hadn't moved since then, her legs slightly to one side as she sat on them. Robin had tried to get in to help, but Artemis had shoved him away, an almost incoherent "don't touch him!" escaping her lips as she did so. Robin had bit his lip but backed away, his worry for Artemis almost matching his worry for Wally right then.

Robin glances back to the burning building, what had just happened had been too fast and too much of a shock to comprehend until he'd seen Wally's still form.

Robin had gotten intel on a package delivered here to be picked up by a member of the Light. He'd thought maybe if he could intercept it and take it back to the Mountain, they would get more leads on this mysterious group.

Artemis had caught him leaving, and demanded to go with him. Wally had followed, just as eager to get out of the Mountain for some action.

And boy, they sure got some.

They had arrived, but it had been a trap. Wally had run forward, eager to see what was in the package, but when Robin had opened his mouth to tell him to stop, it had been too late.

The bomb went off right then, sending them all flying.

Artemis and Robin hadn't been too close, they'd gotten up and shaken off the blast. But Wally hadn't been so lucky.

So now here they were. Wally teetering on the edge of death, Artemis in a state of deliriousness he'd never thought he'd see her have, and Robin himself feeling completely numb, trying to take back control of the situation.

But everything was crumbling down.

"Wally, wake up! Dammit, Wally, stop it! _This isn't funny_!"

Artemis couldn't take it. She was falling apart. And all because the boy on the ground in front of her was going to die.

No. He isn't going to die. I'm going to save him. He'll open his eyes and Robin and I will take him back to the cave and he'll recover. We'll go back to things being peaceful. Back to the way they were.

"Wake up! Wake up wake up wake up wake up—" By now, she was no longer performing CPR, just lamely hitting his chest with her fists, eyes closed and mouthing words that no longer made any sound. Robin came closer, placed a hand on her shoulder, and she let him, falling into him and feeling everything and nothing, desperately trying to cling onto some piece of reality that made sense. But nothing made sense anymore. Wally was dying. And she couldn't do anything about it.

A groan brought her back from the lost halls of her grief, and her eyes flew open and she stared at Wally, who's eyes were slowly opening and closing, chest rising and falling shakily.

Artemis bolted back into her sitting position, leaning over his face, and saw his eyes slowly focus on hers. He grinned up at her, but it was marred with blood and dirt.

"Artemis." He croaked.

Her chest swelled, and it took everyone in her not to collapse on top of him in her relief. "Oh, Wally." And then her relief turned to anger. "How dare you run in like that! Do you know how dangerous that was? We could have lost you! You're a stupid idiot, you know that?!"

Wally stayed silent, his eyes focusing in and out, but his grin didn't disappear. "I'm sorry, Arty. I should have known." A violent cough racked his body, and he closed his eyes in pain, spasms going up and down his body. Artemis's eyes widened, and she tried to calm him, but it took a while for him to settle.

Robin piped up then. "We have to move him. The warehouse behind us is going to collapse, we could risk injury being this close when it does. We need to carry him away." Artemis felt herself nod, and Robin moved to the other side of Wally.

"Brace yourself, Walls, we need to move out of the way of the warehouse." Wally closed his eyes in acknowledgement to him, and on the count of three, they both picked him up off the ground. Artemis was supporting his head, and she felt him tense as a wave of dizzying pain moved it's way through his body, and she felt her heart skip a beat as he grimaced and let out a cry.

"Something's wrong!"

"Quickly!"

They quickly but gently set him down again, and gathered around him, looking for something to do.

"Where are the others? They should be here by now!"

"They didn't respond to my distress call, I don't know!"

Wally couldn't hear them. The white light was back, swimming in the blackness, getting brighter and brighter as the pain became less and less. But he fought it. He knew his end was inevitable, but he just wanted to see Artemis one more time, and tell her how much she meant to him. He wanted to give Robin a smile and tell him that he was going to look awesome when he gets taller.

But he didn't have enough time. He used the last of his strength to push through the numbness, and his lips began to move, a croaky whisper making it through.

"I love you."

Artemis looked down at him, feeling her eyes finally beginning to water, her desperation getting the better of her cool image she had been able to retain when Wally had first stirred.

"I love you too, Wally."

She grabbed his hand, squeezed, and knew that was the last thing she would ever say to him.

Robin bowed his head, tears of his own breaking through, and further behind them, the last standing pieces of the warehouse finally collapsed in a wave of heat, ash and flames.

Wally's chest went still.

All sound was drowned out. The silence was deafening.

Artemis closed her eyes, tears spilling over, an overwhelming grief taking full control of her body.


End file.
